From the Department of Water Resources, Sustainable Groundwater Management Office:
DWR Operations Continue
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is focused on ensuring continued operations while modifying the way we work in the face of the coronavirus to maintain critical functions and protect our staff. DWR staff supporting the Sustainable Groundwater Management Program continue to work and are available to answer questions and provide assistance via email, phone, and web-based meetings.
Fall 2019 Statewide Groundwater Level Change Maps Available
Groundwater level change maps for fall 2019 are available on the DWR website. These maps present a summary of groundwater level trends with multi-year comparisons.
SGMA Data Viewer Updated with Subsidence Information
New subsidence information covering the period of June 2018 to September 2019 has been added to the SGMA Data Viewer under land subsidence. This information can help groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs), water managers and the public implement the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
For more information and additional SGMA related data and tools, visit DWR’s Groundwater Data and Tools webpage and the California Natural Resources Open Data Platform.
For questions, email sgmps.water.ca.gov.
Public Comment Opens for Draft Upper and Lower San Luis Rey Basin Prioritization
DWR today announced draft Basin Prioritization results for the Upper and Lower San Luis Rey Basins in San Diego County. The prioritization was conducted in response to Senate Bill 779, effective January 1, 2020, which changed the Bulletin 118 basin boundaries of these two groundwater basins. DWR is required to reassess basin prioritization any time Bulletin 118 basin boundaries change.
The Department will hold a 15-day public comment period on the draft Basin Prioritization for these two basins. Email comments to sgmps@water.ca.gov by April 8, 2020.
For more information, visit the SGMA Basin Prioritization webpage or California Natural Resources Agency’s Open Data.
REMINDER: GSP Public Comment Period Extended
Due to ongoing health and safety concerns, DWR is extending its original GSP public comment periods by 30 days. The new deadlines are May 15, 2020, and June 3, 2020.
DWR encourages public comment on recently submitted plans that show how local water agencies plan to manage groundwater basins for long-term sustainability. Comments can be posted online on the DWR SGMA Portal and a SGMA Portal account is not necessary.
Information about how to comment on a plan can be found in fact sheets in English and Spanish.
For questions, email sgmps@water.ca.gov.
Update on Annual Report Submittals
Due to ongoing health and safety concerns, DWR will accept annual reports for the prior water year after the April 1, 2020 deadline from basins with adopted GSPs, approved and pending alternatives to GSPs, and adjudicated areas. The reports can be viewed by the public once they are submitted on the SGMA Portal. The reports provide information on groundwater conditions and management activities for the prior water year.
GSP Annual Reports
Downloadable templates for basin-wide data are available on the GSP Reporting System webpage and must be submitted with the annual report. For questions or more information, email GSPSubmittal@water.ca.gov.
Additional resources are also available:
- Annual Report Elements Guide
- GSP Annual Report Module User Manual
- Frequently Asked Questions on 2020 GSP Annual Reports
Alternative to GSP Annual Reports
Alternative Annual Reports will be submitted the same as previous years using the Alternative Reporting System. For questions or more information, email GSPSubmittal@water.ca.gov.
Adjudicated Area Annual Reports
Adjudicated area annual reports will be submitted the same as previous years using the Adjudicated Basins Annual Reporting System. For questions or more information, email Timothy.Ross@water.ca.gov.
Connect with Your Basin Point of Contact
DWR has designated Basin Points of Contact to assist local agencies and GSAs as they develop and implement their plans and to assist with applications for Technical Support Services and Facilitation Support Services.
For regional inquiries, contact sgmp_rc@water.ca.gov.
For general inquiries, contact sgmps@water.ca.gov.
